Typical building applied photovoltaic (BAPV) and building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems are labor intensive to install. An installer typically must attach brackets and frame rails to an existing roof deck over existing shingles and then mount the photovoltaic panels to the frame rails. In situations where the roof on a building is not relatively new; e.g. over ten years old, the BAPV system installer often must recommend that the roof be replaced concurrently with the installation of the BAPV system.
If the building roof is not replaced at the time the BAPV system is installed, a roof replacement later will require that the BAPV system be removed and reinstalled on the new roof, adding significant cost to the roof replacement. Some typical BIPV systems are nailed to the roof deck like a shingle, but are also installed in place of existing roof deck over existing shingles, and the building owner must also decide whether to replace the roof concurrently with installation of the BIPV system or risk having to remove and reinstall the BIPV system on a new roof.
The above notwithstanding, there remains a need in the art for an improved BIPV system.